Preston North End again find themselves trying to tick tough transfer box this summer

The Lilywhites are now on the search for another understudy to Daniel Iversen, after selling Jack Walton to Dundee United. With hindsight it is easy to criticise last year’s addition of the Luton Town man. At the time, it looked a reasonable one on paper.

These are not straightforward positions to fill; you aren’t going to be first choice but we need you to be good enough to play if called upon. Walton had 147 first team appearances under his belt, across spells at Barnsley and the Terrors.

His debut at Barrow was fine but the following round saw Walton have a tough evening at home to Wrexham. The goalkeeper’s next outing, in January against Derby, went OK. The Hull City and Middlesbrough matches after that didn’t go well.

Walton penned a three-year deal at Preston and could’ve been a tricky player to move on. So it turned out, his history and reputation at Dundee United saw them return and the deal made plenty of sense for all parties.

It does, though, leave PNE on the same hunt. Dai Cornell was called upon last year and has been offered fresh terms, with a view to being third choice it’s thought. Cornell’s record isn’t good but his character, professionalism and application to training has only been praised.

It is, therefore, little surprise to see Paul Heckingbottom open to keeping him in and around the group for another 12 months. If Preston are more successful with their recruitment of a number two this summer, the chances of Cornell featuring will become very slim.

Earlier this month, ex-player and coach Alan Kelly said: “I never saw him ruffled. I thought he was solid and could step in and get the odd game. Unfortunately, the stats are that every game he’s played, virtually, they haven’t won.

“He must be going, ‘Oh my word’. I felt so sorry for him because everybody looks at the goalkeeper - the most pressurised position on the pitch. But I was looking at it thinking, ‘Is he a somebody, as a character, you would keep around?”

Clearly, the hope for Preston will be that Daniel Iversen stays fit for all 46 league games. In the last two years, though, injury to the first choice goalkeeper has resulted in two shocking runs of form: three points from 24 and six points from 30.

It’s a far from glamorous role to fill and one which doesn’t tend to spark excitement, but North End will recognise the importance of getting it right this time. Losing someone like Iversen will always be a challenge; it doesn’t have to result in crisis.